PPA Partners, Inc. and AWC To Develop 5 MW Solar Array Comprised of 5 Unique Technologies - 1MW Each

March 6, 2010 - PRLog -- Yuma, Arizona - PPA Partners, Inc. and Arizona Western College announced an historic collaboration on March 2nd, for a 5 MW multi-technology solar project on Arizona Western College’s Yuma Campus. The 5 MW deployment deemed “Solar with a Purpose”, will be comprised of the five commercially viable PV technologies, all optimized by tracking and state of the art Inverters, installed by the same EPC so that the installation and the Balance of System (BOS) will as well, be identical.

The 5 representative technologies are High Concentration Solar, Low Concentration Solar, Thin Film, Mono Crystalline, and Poly Crystalline.

Technology Partners are still being finalized but Sol Focus, Skyline Solar, Signet Solar, Del Solar, Ray Tracker and Satcon are all in discussions with PPA Partners for inclusion in the Project.

“We know of no other solar project where all 5 technologies are showcased at utility scale, installed by the same group, at the same time with the same equipment, tracked and optimized, under the best solar resource in the Country… the data generated by the project should be very interesting.” Stated Bruce Mercy, CEO of PPA Partners of Morgan Hill, California.

“From the multiple technologies that will keep pace with changes in the industry, to the constant data that will be available both in the classroom and to manufacturers, this array has the potential to not only change the face of the economy in Yuma, but to impact solar education and research on a national and global level,” said Arizona Western College President Dr. Marc Nigliazzo.

“Draker Laboratories will provide the monitoring system for the project and in conjunction with Satcon’s Solstice Inverters; we should be able to get to a level of detail unheard of in commercial systems. The data generated from the project will be comprised of meteorological, solar resource, energy harvest, and a host of other information from cell temperature, to string level views, and be extremely valuable to researchers, manufacturers, utilities and other entities”, added Mercy.

The array at the College will be the largest at a domestic College or University, and will provide the College with 100% of its power from clean on site generation.

Additionally they are developing a solar demonstration/incubation area where emergent technologies, manufacturers, researchers, and industry can place a 20 kW system in a private secured enclosure, complete with video feeds, and identical BOS components from the larger project, and even staff to help work with the technology for optimization. Monitoring would as well be from Draker Labs.

“Access to the data from the main 5 MW field will only be available to those participating in the Project, the College, Select Research Groups and those that have a space at the demonstration/incubation area. Yuma has the greatest solar resource in the US, what better place to demonstrate solar and test technology than the area with 352 sun days per year, even the Guinness Book of World Records lists Yuma as having the most sun days and hours”, stated Mercy.

In addition, they are working on a cutting edge solar curriculum, with certificate, AA, BA/BS and continuing educational and advancement courses and components, and a 10,000 sq ft Commercial Scale Solar Technology Lab and Facility.

“Not only will this collaboration present a great opportunity to the Yuma community, it will also open opportunities for universities around the world to partner and collaborate with Arizona Western College through joint curriculum as well as research and development. It is not possible to duplicate the solar resource available in Yuma at say UC Berkeley, MIT or University of Illinois.” said Mark Weiss, President of PPA Partners.

“PPA Partners and Arizona Western College, hope to present a new model on how we transition to a renewable energy economy with significant export positions and to help America train a new workforce and assist and incubate American Technologies to successfully compete in the new Global economy.” Added Mercy.

PPA Partners is in the process of negotiating with its financial partners and anticipates final funding for the project in the next 60 days.

PPA Partners is a technologically agnostic PPA and creative funding solution company offering comprehensive solutions across the entire renewable energy development and financing value chain, specializing in innovative technologies, uniquely structured projects and financial products.

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